Three-Sided High-Rise Tower Takes Shape over Mexico City
With its distinctive triangular volume and soaring concrete walls, Torre Reforma makes an eye-catching addition to the skyline of Mexico City. Arup worked with L. Benjamin Romano Arquitects (LBRA) to ensure that the 57-story mixed-use building was not only striking in appearance, but safe in its performance — a particular concern in the seismically active location.
“Arup has been indispensable in helping to transform my architectural vision into an efficient and buildable structure. They have provided innovative solutions to the complex seismic issues in Mexico City and have been instrumental in helping the bidding contractors understand that Torre Reforma is not more complex than standard vertical construction; it just applies traditional construction methods that contractors are already familiar with, in a new and different way.”
— Benjamin Romano, principal of LBRA.
Set in an area with a long history of significant seismic activity, skyscraper construction in Mexico City poses complicated engineering challenges. Because Torre Reforma is triangular in plan, the building has an inherent tendency to twist when subjected to lateral loads and wind, not to mention earthquake forces. We applied a comprehensive time-history analysis to establish the performance of the structure under extreme seismic conditions and engineered a solution that is both locally appropriate and consistent with international best-practice designs for tall buildings.
“Building tall structures in Mexico City often means working in constrained conditions. Challenges can include small or irregular sites, coordinating diverse teams, and, of course, seismic hazards. In this project, we partnered with LBRA to create robust solutions that bring value to the client as well as the community.”
— Tabitha Tavolaro, Arup associate principal and project manager for Torre Reforma.
In addition to its structural innovations, the building offers extensive sustainability features. Pre-certified as a LEED Platinum Core and Shell project, Torre Reforma has multiple water conservation systems, including rainwater collection and grey-and black-water recycling plants. A combination of automated and passive ventilation work moderates interior temperatures throughout the structure.
Arup is providing structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering services, as well as consulting services for fire protection and life safety, façades, acoustics, and sustainability.
